It is known for a telephone to include a mute function, typically activated by a user pressing a mute button on the telephone. Once the mute function is activated, speech or other sounds reaching the telephone will not pass through to other people on a call. The mute function is typically (but not always) used when the telephone is operating in a “speaker” mode, where a microphone in the telephone base unit is activated (instead of a microphone in the handset). The mute function is typically used in a conference call at times when the user is not expected to speak, although it could be used as well in a call with only one other person. Occasionally, while the mute function is active, the user will attempt to speak to the other person or people on the call, forgetting that the mute function is active. Because mute function is active, the other person or people will not hear the words spoken by the user. When the user realizes that the mute function is active, the user will need to repeat the previously muted words.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,870,919 discloses a telephone with a mute function, and a notification unit which determines when a user is speaking while the mute function is active. In such a case, the telephone or a computer provides a mute status reminder to the user. The mute status reminder may be a tone or prerecorded message. U.S. Pat. No. 6,870,919 also discloses activation of the mute status reminder when the communication signal exceeds a predetermined energy level.
An object of the present invention is to avoid unnecessary mute status reminders.